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The Scottish Government commissioned an Environmental Report as part of a comprehensive consultation process prior to the creation of the Single-use Plastic Regulations recently laid before the Scottish Parliament.

This report is published on the Scottish Government’s website here and shows the following estimated yearly figures used in Scotland for the products requested:

Scottish Government officials met with representatives from the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland on 14 October to discuss the shortage of available student accommodation this academic year. The matter was also discussed at the meetings of the Covid Recovery Group and the Purpose Built Student Accommodation Steering Group on 20 October, and at the Student Accommodation Group meeting on 4 November. The issue of housing capacity was highlighted in these meetings, and proposals for dedicated meetings with universities and accommodation providers from areas experiencing particular problems in this academic period were explored, and will be taken forward.

The Scottish Government has no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation whether the accommodation is managed by universities or private sector organisations. However, we remain committed to working further with universities and student associations to develop solutions to the present shortfall in renting opportunities for students.

Our Programme for Government commitment to review Purpose Built Student Accommodation and our 100 days commitment to establish the next stage of this, is already underway and will be taken forward in parallel with work to ensure rent affordability and improving standards across the private rented sector.

Since 1 January 2020 19,378 individuals have successfully applied to the Individual Training Account programme and have claimed and used their funding entitlement to access training opportunities.

As the member is aware, mainland Health Boards have postponed some of their non-urgent elective activity to ensure they can continue to protect urgent activity, including vital cancer treatments, and to cope with staffing and other pressures they are currently experiencing. As such, decisions are taken on an individual Health Board basis dependent on the particular circumstances and pressures they are facing each week. It is not possible to indicate how long such postponements will last.

However, the Scottish Government are monitoring Health Boards’ elective activity through daily and weekly Health Board returns and are providing support where it is required.

All local authorities are now offering 1140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to all eligible children. Figures published in October 2021 by the Improvement Service show that at the end of August 2021, nearly 91,000 children in Scotland were accessing funded early learning and childcare. Of these 91,000 children, 97% are accessing expanded provision, and 87% - nearly 80,000 children – are choosing to take up the full 1140 hours on offer.

Each local authority is responsible for developing a local ELC offer that meets local people’s needs and circumstances, working in partnership with providers, and they have a statutory duty under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 to consult with parents every 2 years on how they provide these services.

This will help local authorities to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of providers and patterns of delivery within each authority area, and that is delivered in a way which is responsive to parental demand.

In each local authority area parents should be able to choose from a range of types of setting, offering different patterns of provision, and which meet the National Standard, but we do not expect every setting to offer every possible pattern of provision that a parent may request.

Local authorities have worked incredibly hard with their partners to introduce the expanded ELC offer while dealing with the challenging circumstances and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local ELC offers will continue to evolve in response to patterns of demand and local circumstances.

The eligibility criteria for the new round of Climate Justice Fund will be set before programming starts from April 2022. It is likely that the focus of the Fund for programmes run by the Scottish Government will be on Scotland’s three partner countries of Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.

The Scottish Government has no view regarding how GP services are provided outwith Scotland.

Patients treated by general practices in Scotland should be treated by GPs who are on their local Health Board's performers list whether the appointment is remote or face to face.

The North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF) launched in August 2021. The first performance reporting from the delivery partnership is due to be received in mid to late December.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with the public, private and third sectors on economic policy developments, including Fair Work, and our upcoming National Strategy for Economic Transformation. Fair Work is a key driver for sustainable and inclusive economic growth; it sits at the heart of our wellbeing economy ambitions and is central to economic recovery and renewal. A key strand of our Fair Work Action Plan is creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces, and our Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan contains a commitment to work with employers to support the development of mentally flourishing workplaces and also to develop pathways that enable those seeking to enter or remain in work to access appropriate and timely mental health and employability support.

As I highlighted in the Sustainable Procurement and Fair Work debate on 2 November 2021, we have launched a public consultation on the action needed to ensure Scotland becomes a Fair Work Nation. The consultation has been informed by discussions with key stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors and workshops are being held to gather wider views. I encourage you and members to promote this consultation to employers and workers across their constituencies.

The Scottish Government recognises the issues raised by third sector organisations regarding the impact the Covid pandemic has had and is having on working lives, especially those in low-paid or insecure jobs. That is why a range of actions have been set out in the Mental Health Transition and Recovery Strategy and the broader Covid Recovery Strategy to mitigate negative impacts on workers and to improve the financial security of lower income households.

Our overarching vision to become a Fair Work Nation by 2025 is central to addressing issues of job insecurity, in-work poverty and under-employment – priorities that will also be reflected through the forthcoming National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The Scottish Government is committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of workers across Scotland and will keep a future of work commission under review.